Food for Thought has travelled the world (metaphorically) whilst researching new recipes, constantly on the look-out for new treats that are making their way over to the UK. However, one such delicacy is sitting right under our noses, or right above them would be more accurate perhaps. A short trip up to Scotland and the team would be instantly surrounded by haggis.

 

Haggis is one of the most notorious foods associated with our highland border country, and the connotations that it brings with it are not the greatest. It’s not a surprise that people are wary upon hearing the main ingredients.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The savoury pudding is mainly made up of sheep’s pluck. In other words the sheep’s heart, liver and lungs are minced together, along with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices and salt. Sounds very organ-ic to me.

 

Apparently it gets even stranger if you look at the history of the dish. It is believed that the ingredients were originally mixed with stock whilst still encased in the sheep’s stomach. However, now a different approach involving artificial casing is being used.

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The first records of haggis actually come from Lancashire, which will come as a surprise to most. It originated from a 1430 cookbook Liber Cure Cocorum which was written in the North Western County. There are even historians who believe that the Ancient Romans used to cook and eat similar products to Haggis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since making its way to Scotland haggis has become part of tradition up in the highlands. On January 25th, the birthday of Scottish poet Robert Burns, the Scots celebrate ‘Burns supper’. He wrote the poem Address to a Haggis and the poems eponymous meal features as a major part of the celebratory feasts.

 

There is now a greater variety of haggis available than ever, including a vegetarian option which substitutes pulses, nuts and vegetables for the traditional meat.

 

It is also traditional to serve haggis alongside a glass of scotch whisky, something that I can get behind.